Punch tool alignment apparatus



Jan. 25, 1966 c. L. ROVOLDT 3,

PUNCH TOOL ALIGNMENT APPARATUS Filed June 8, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

4/ Charles Lee Rovoldf TTORNEYS Jan. 25, 1966 c, L. ROVOLDT 3,230,806

PUNCH TOOL ALIGNMENT APPARATUS Filed June 8, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet z 27 /5 V 26 29 3e H 3/ l EL 49 /8 Ega Inventor Charles Lee Rovoldt United States Patent 3,230,806 PUNQH TOOL ALIGNMENT APPARATUS Charles Lee Rovoldt, Getzville, N.Y., assignor to Hondaille Industries, Inc., Buffalo, N.Y., a corporation of Michigan Filed June 8, 1964, Ser. No. 373,473 7 Claims. (Cl. 83-446) This invention relates generally to punching machine apparatus, and more specifically to apparatus by which tools having non-circular cutting edges may be aligned and guided in such punching apparatus.

Although the principles of the present invention may be included in various devices, a particularly useful application is made in a punching machine which is so constructed as to employ various interchangeable sets of punches and dies, particularly those having cutting edges which are shaped, a term known in the trade as referring to those having cutting edges of non-circular crosssection or configuration.

When round punches and dies are employed, the supporting structure merely needs to be so constructed that such tools are coaxial with each other. However, when shaped tooling is employed, not only must there be similar coaxial alignment, but also the supporting and guiding structure must be so built that the one tool is held in angular alignment about the reciprocation axis with respect to theother tool. As the complexity of punching machines increases, the number of points at which dimensional error can creep into the machine increases greatly. This is particularly true where angular alignment must be maintained in addition to the usual coaxial alignment. Still further, when this is done with structure employing interchangeable pairs of punches and dies, the problem is greatly accentuated. Heretofore, much expensive hand finishing and close control of manufacturing tolerances has been necessary.

The present invention is directed to structure by which the means that supports one of the tools may be adjusted angularly. Such angular adjustment means is provided in a simple manner at a minimum cost, thus making the provision of this feature a means by which considerable cost is saved when compared to the cost of manufacturing a relatively complex punching machine whose dimensions and tolerances are so held that angular alignment is inherently obtained.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide alignment apparatus by which punching tools having non-circular cutting edges may be angularly aligned with respect to each other.

Another object of the instant invention is to provide an adjustable key structure for use with tool aligning means employed to guide punching tools.

A still further object of the present invention is to pro vide structure by which punching apparatus may be constructed without need for dimensional control at manufacture of such machine elements as contribute solely to angular tool alignment in machines heretofore built.

Many other advantages, features, and additional objects of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

On the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a punching machine constructed to be used with interchangeable tooling, and provided with alignment apparatus for the punching tools in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

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FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a fragmentary portion of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are side and 'end views respectively of an element shown in cross-section in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a further element shown in elevation in FIG. 2.

As shown on the drawings:

The principles of this invention are particularly useful when embodied in a punching machine such as illustrated in FIG. 1, generally indicated by the numeral 10. The punching machine 10 includes a frame 11 having a lower arm 12 and an upper arm 13a. On the lower arm 12, there is rigidly supported a lower punching tool or die 13 which has a shaped or non-circular configuration at its cutting edge. The upper arm 13a supports a ram 14 which is reciprocably driven to engage tooling, generally indicated at 15, and reciprocably carried on a yoke 16.

Referring to FIG. 2, the yoke 16 is shown in larger detail, and is provided with a pair of circular concentric guide bores 17, 18, the axis of which is concentric with the axis of the die '13. Within the lower guide bore 18, there is disposed a sleeve 19 which is generally annular in configuration, and which has an outer cylindrical surface slidably guided by the bore 18. The sleeve 19 has an internal guide bore 20, circular in configuration, and a lower shaped guide bore 21, the shape of which is identical to that of the shaped die 13.

Within the sleeve 19, there is disposed a punch 22 having an upper cylindrical portion 23 slidably guided in the bore 20 of the guide sleeve 19, and a lower portion 24, the lower edge of which has a configuration conforming to that of the sleeve guide bore 21 and the die 13. The lower or cutting edge of the punch 22 is receivable in the die 13 and is held in angular alignment therewith by the guide bore 21 of the sleeve 19. General guidance in lateral directions is provided by the guide bore 20 of the sleeve 19 acting on the upper cylindrical portion 23 of the punch element 22. Similarly, the sleeve 19 is guided against lateral displacement by the guide bore 18 of the yoke 16.

To the punch bit or element 22, there is secured a punch driver 25, such securement being efiected by a throughbolt 26 received in the punch element 22. The upper end of the punch driver 25 has an upwardly directed surface 27 which is so disposed and directed as to be engaged and driven by the ram 14 of the press 10. The upper portion of the punch driver 25 also includes an outer cylindrical surface 28 which is slidably received and guided by the guide bore 17 of the yoke 16.

Secured to the upper end of the punch driver 25, there is an annular spring retainer plate 29 through which the punch driver portion 27 projects. The securement is effected by a number of screws 30, for example six such screws, threadedly received by the punch driver 25. A number of pilot pins 31 is secured to the annular plate 29, and each projects downward-1y into an upwardly directed opening (not shown) in the yoke 16. Acting between the yoke 16 and a shoulder on the pilot pins 31 is a. spring 32, there being such a spring for each of four pilot pins 31. Each of the springs 32 serves as a lifter spring in that it lifts the plate 29, the punch driver 25, the punch element 22, and the sleeve 19 from a lower position to the retracted position shown in FIG. 2. The lifting of the sleeve 19 is brought about by the upper end of the punch element 22 which has an upwardly directed surface 33 engageable with the lower side of a snap ring 34.

Arranged in an annular pattern within the punch driver 25, there is a group of nine plungers 35 which have a free sliding fit through an opening in the punch driver 25 so that the lower end of each of the plungers 35 may engage the upper surface of the sleeve 19. A

3 spring 36 is disposed between the annular plate 29 and an enlarged head 37 comprising 'a part of the plunger 35. These springs and plungers serve to strip the workpiece from the lower end 24 of the punch element 22. after a punching operation has been completed.

As indicated above, if the lower end 24 of the punch element 22 were circular, it would not be necessary to provide any angular guidance ofit about the axis of such tooling. However, the present invention deals with alignapparatus by which the non-circular cutting edge Of the portion 24 may be angularly aligned with corresponding edges onthe die 13. To this end, adjustable keying means, generally indicated at 40 are provided which are rotatably supported on the yoke 16 which forms a functionally rigid part of the upper arm 13a. The keying means 40 has an end 41 which extends through the guide bore 18 and is received snugly in a slot 42 in the stripping and guiding sleeve 19. As is brought out more fully below, rotation of the keying means 40 about a horizontal axis effects slight rotation of the guide sleeve 19 about its vertical axis, whereby the guide sleeve may be so rotated as to angularly align the punch portion 24with the die 13'.

The adjustable keying means 40 includes a camming sleeve 43,- also shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, such sleeve having" an outer cylindrical surface which is rotatably received in a horizontal circular opening 44 in the yoke 16. As best seen in FIG. 4, the sleeve 43 is longitudinally slotted as at 45 so that upon being received in the opening 44, the same is held in slight compression, whereby the sleeve resists axial and angular movement of itself. The sleeve 43 has an eccentric bore 46 which extends therethrough and which opens into the guide bore 18 of the yoke 16. One end of the guide bore is provided with means which are accessible from the outside, generally indicated at 48, by which the sleeve 43 may be rotated. In the present embodiment, the means 48 comprises a socket receptive of a socket wrench for this purpose. The adjustable keying means 40 further includes a key 49, one end of Which comprises the end 41, and the remainder of which comprises a shank 47 rotatably supported in the eccentric bore 46 in the sleeve 43. The key 49 is also shown in FIG. 5. The end 41 includes oppositely directed faces 50 which are parallel to each other and which are snugly and slidably received between the confronting faces that define the slot 42 in the sleeve 19.

The sleeve 43 is slightly resilient, so that upon being compressed, of its internal stresses it acts against the means that defines the horizontal bore 44. It is to be noted that the guide sleeve 19 is held in a preselected angular position about its vertical axis by the coaction of the key end 41 and the slot 42. Further, the preselected angular position is alterable by rotation of the sleeve 43, and the adjustable keying means 40 enables free sliding movement of the stripping and guiding sleeve 19, both in normal reciprocatory operation, and in the removal thereof for being replaced by other tooling having external surfaces to be guided by the yoke bores 17 and 1S, and having a slot corresponding to the slot 42 for coa'ction with the key end 41; The adjustable keying means 4% in no Way interferes with the free replacement of the components which jointly comprise the punching and stripping assembly which is slidably guided in the yoke 16.

Although various minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such embodiments as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

, 1. Alignment apparatus for punching tools having noncircular cutting edges, comprising:

(a) a rigid frame having a first arm constructed to support a first of such tools, and having a second arm 4 spaced therefrom and provided with means defining a first guide bore;

(b) a guide sleeve rotatably supported and guided in said first guide bore, and having means defining a second guide bore slidably receptive of a second of such tools, said second-bore-defining-rneans being so shaped as to be operative to preclude any angular movement of the second tool with respect to said guide sleeve while enabling relative sliding movement therebetween; and

(0) adjustable keying means rotatably supported on said second arm and having an end extending through said first guide bore and received snugly in a slot in said guide sleeve upon rotation of which keying means, said guide sleeve may be rotated to angularly align the tools, V

2. Alignment apparatus for punchingt'o'ols having nonc'irs'ular cutting edges, comprising:

(a) a rigid frame having a first arm constructed to su port a first of such tools, and having a second arm spaced therefrom and provided with means defining a first guide bore;

(b) a guide sleeve rotatably supported and guided in said first guide bore, and having means defining a second guide bore slidably receptive of a second of such tools, said second-bore defining-means being so shaped as to be operative to preclude any angular movement of the second tool with respect to said guide sleeve while enabling relative sliding movement therebetween;

(c) a carnming sleeve rotatably supported on said second arm and having an eccentric bore which opens into said first guide bore; and

(d) a key having a shank received in said eccentric bore, and an end received snugly in a slot in said guide sleeve;

whereby, in response to manual rotation of said cumming sleeve, said guide sleeve may be rotated to angularly align the tools.

3. Alignment apparatus for punching tools having noncircular cutting edges, comprising:

(a) a rigid frame having a first arm constructed to support a first of such tools, and having a second arm spaced therefrom and provided with means defining a first guide bore;

(b) a guide sleeve rotatably supported and guided in said first guide bore, and having means defining a second guide bore slidably receptive of a second of such tools, said second-bore-defining-means being so shaped as to be operative to preclude any angular movement of the second tool with respect to said guide sleeve while enabling relative sliding movement therebetween;

(c) a resilient split camming sleeve rotatably supported on said second arm and held in slight compression, by that portion of said second arm which supports it, so as to resist rotation, said camrning sleeve having an eccentric bore which opens into said first guide bore; and

(d) a key having a shank received in said eccentric bore, and an end received snugly in a slot in said guide sleeve; whereby, in response to manual rotation of said camming sleeve, said guide sleeve may be rotated to angularly align the tools.

4. Alignment apparatus for punching tools having noncircular cutting edges, comprising:

(a) a rigid frame having a first arm constructed to support a first of such tools, and having a second arm spaced therefrom and provided with means defining a first guide bore;

(b) a guide sleeve rotatably supported and guided in said first guide bore, and having means defining a second guide bore slidably receptive of a second of such tools, said second-bore-defining-means being so shaped as to be operative to preclude any angular movement of the second tool with respect to said guide sleeve while enabling relative sliding movement therebetween;

(c) a camming sleeve rotatably supported on said second arm and having an eccentric bore which opens at one end into said first guide bore, said carnming sleeve having at the opposite end thereof accessible means by which said camming sleeve may be rotated; and

(d) a key having a shank received in said eccentric bore, and an end received snugly in a slot in said guide sleeve;

whereby, in response to manual rotation of said camming sleeve, said guide sleeve may be rotated to angularly align the tools.

5. Alignment apparatus for punching tools having noncircular cutting edges, comprising:

(a) a rigid frame having a first arm constructed to support a first of such tools, and having a second arm spaced therefrom and provided with means defining a finst guide bore;

(b) a stripping and guiding sleeve so supported and guided in said first guide bore that it may be reciprocated therein and also rotated therein, said stripping and guiding sleeve having internal means defining a second guide bore slidably receptive of a second of such tools, and external means defining an elongated slot extending parallel to the axes of said bores and opening toward said first guide bore, said second-bore-defining-means being so shaped as to be operative to preclude any angular movement of the second tool with respect to said stripping and guiding sleeve while enabling relative sliding movement therebetween;

(c) a camming sleeve rotatably supported on said second arm and having an eccentric bore which opens into said first guide bore; and

(d) a key having a shank received in said eccentric bore, and an end received snugly in said slot in said stripping and guiding sleeve;

whereby, in response to manual rotation of said camming sleeve, said stripping and guiding sleeve may be rotated to augularly align the tools.

6. Alignment apparatus for punching tools having noncircular cutting edges, comprising:

(a) a rigid frame having a first arm constructed to support a first of such tools, and having a second arm spaced therefrom and provided with means defining a first guide bore;

(b) a guide sleeve rotatably supported and guided in said first guide bore, and having means defining a second guide bore slidably receptive of a second of such tools, said second-bore-defining-means being so shaped as to be operative to preclude any angular movement of the second tool with respect to said guide sleeve while enabling relative sliding movement t'herebetween;

5 (c) a camming sleeve rotatably supported on said second arm and having an eccentric bore which opens into said first guide bore; and

(d) a key having a cylindrical shank received in said eccentric bore, and an end having parallel faces slidably engaging the opposite walls of a slot in said guide sleeve;

whereby, in response to manual rotation of said camming sleeve, said guide sleeve may be rotated to angularly align the tools.

7. Alignment apparatus for punching tools having noncircular cutting edges, comprising:

(a) a rigid frame having a first arm constructed to su port a first of such tools, and having a second arm spaced therefrom and provided with means defining a first guide bore;

(b) a stripping and guiding sleeve so supported and guided in said first guide bore that it may be reciprocated therein and also rotated therein, said stripping and guiding sleeve having internal means defining a second guide bore slidably receptive of a second of such tools, and external means defining an elongated slot extending parallel to the axes of said bores and opening toward said first guide bore, said second-bore-defining-means being so shaped as to be operative to preclude any angular movement of the second tool with respect to said stripping and guiding sleeve while enabling relative sliding movement therebetween;

(c) a resilient split camming sleeve rotatably supported on said second arm and held in slight compression, by that portion of said second arm which supports it, so as to resist rotation, said camming sleeve having an eccentric bore which opens at one end into said first guide bore, said camming sleeve 40 having at the opposite end thereof accessible means by which said camming sleeve may be rotated; and

(d) a key having a cylindrical shank received in said eccentric bore, and an end having parallel faces slidably engaging the opposite walls of said slot in said stripping and guiding sleeve; whereby, in response to manual rotation of said camming sleeve, said stripping and guiding sleeve may be rotated to augularly align the tools.

No references cited.

WILLIAM W. DYER, JR., Primary Examiner. 

1. ALIGNMENT APPARATUS FOR PUNCHING TOOLS HAVING NONCIRCULAR CUTTING EDGES, COMPRISING: (A) A RIGID FRAME HAVING A FIRST ARM CONSTRUCTED TO SUPPORT A FIRST OF SUCH TOOLS, AND HAVING A SECOND ARM SPACED THEREFROM AND PROVIDED WITH MEANS DEFINING A FIRST GUIDE BORE; (B) A GUIDE SLEEVE ROTATABLY SUPPORTED AND GUIDED IN SAID FIRST GUIDE BORE, AND HAVING MEANS DIFINING A SECOND GUIDE BORE SLIDABLY RECEPTIVE OF A SECOND OF SUCH TOOLS, SAID SECOND-BORE-DEFINING-MEANS BEING SO SHAPED AS TO BE OPERATIVE TO PRECLUDE ANY ANGULAR MOVEMENT OF THE SECOND TOOL WITH RESPECT TO SAID GUIDE SLEEVE WHILE ENABLING RELATIVE SLIDING MOVEMENT THEREBETWEEN; AND (C) ADJUSTABLE KEYING MEANS ROTATABLY SUPPORTED ON SAID SECOND ARM AND HAVING AN END EXTENDING THROUGH SAID FIRST GUIDE BORE AND RECEIVED SNUGLY IN A SLOT IN SAID GUIDE SLEEVE UPON ROTATION OF WHICH KEYING MEANS, SAID GUIDE SLEEVE MAY BE ROTATED TO ANGULARLY ALIGN THE TOOLS. 